Outstanding New Lawyer of the Year Award

Roxanne N. Thorelli is a Senior Associate at Fredrikson & Byron, focusing her practice on mergers and acquisitions, debt and equity financing, corporate restructuring, and general corporate matters. She has been recognized as a 2023 Minnesota Rising Star in mergers and acquisitions by Super Lawyers. 

Roxanne has been an engaged member of the Minnesota State Bar Association and the Hennepin County Bar Association since law school. She is the 2023-2024 Chair of the HCBA New Lawyers Section, and in past years has served as the Section’s Vice-Chair, Treasurer/Secretary, and Director of Membership and Engagement. Roxanne has also served as a Business Law Section Council Member. Roxanne has worked on a variety of issues throughout her service to the bar associations, including finance and planning, membership engagement, and the study of attorney licensing methods in Minnesota. Roxanne is also engaged with the legal community at a national level, as a delegate to the American Bar Association’s Young Lawyers Division.

In addition to her legal practice and Bar activities, Roxanne dedicates a significant amount of time to pro bono representation. She provides pro bono service through the Volunteer Lawyers Network Employment Advice Clinic and the LegalCORPS Business Law Advice Clinic. Roxanne recognizes the importance in leading by example and enjoys motivating others to become passionate about pro bono work. She is a member of the pro bono committee at Fredrikson & Byron and is the pro bono coordinator for her department. Roxanne has won numerous awards for her commitment to pro bono work, including the Volunteer Lawyers Network Volunteer of the Year Award, the MSBA North Star Lawyer Award, the HCBA Excellence Award for Pro Bono Service, and the HCBA 100-Hour Pro Bono Award. 

Roxanne serves her community by mentoring law students, acting as an advisor to the Golden Key International Honour Society at University of Minnesota, sitting on the Board of the Calumet Lofts Homeowners Association, and volunteering with Feed My Starving Children and for a variety of causes with the Salvation Army. 

Roxanne participates in the monthly diversity and inclusion conversations at her law firm based on a chosen theme. She attends diversity and inclusion events and seminars, including as part of the American Bar Association Young Lawyers Division conference and Twin Cities Diversity in Practice trainings and events. Roxanne coordinates events for the Opportunity to Lead initiative at Fredrikson & Byron to support women in the legal field. She ensures that associates in her department receive work and training equally from her.